Giveaway!! "Redheads are Soulless" by Heather M White~Bullying Answers for YAs & Fantasy, Too!

A Super Summary!!  High school senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.


Particulars of the book :

Published and Authored by Heather M. White
Pages:  213
Sold by:  Barnes & Noble



Heather's Guest Post for A Bookish Libraria!  – ‘A Day in the Life of ME’

I've always wanted to write a post about "A Day in the Life of ME". I don't know why, really, my day is NOT that interesting. (You will see).

My day usually starts somewhere between 7:30 and 9 am. That is when I get up and "write". When I say write I really mean: check my Twitter, email, Facebook, Goodreads, blog, etc... After that, I usually decide that I'm hungry. So, I eat cereal and watch something on Netflix. Then I think: OK, time to write. I go to my computer, open my book, and stare at my screen. I do this for a while then I decide, hmm... Maybe I should read something. So I do.

After lunch, I do pretty much the same thing. By dinner, I've probably finished the book I was reading ;). So now, it's 8pm and I think: I HAVE TO WRITE NOW. So I do. And it flows so well. I just can't write in the day, idk why. I honestly think my creativty is a vampire.

So, that's what a life of a write is like... Lots of procrastinating. Or, at least for me.

A Bit More About Heather:

Hi! I'm Heather M White, a YA Paranormal author. I'm 22 years old and I recently got married. I just moved from Saint Louis, Missouri to a very small town in Arkansas. My passion is: writing. I also like to read, and play guitar. And I love Dr. Pepper!

Goodreads | Blog | Twitter

The Dame's Review :
Heather M White has written a book essentially about the affects of parental absenteeism and dysfunction on a child, and the resulting bullying they may experience as a result of it.  Her protagonist, Sofia, is a "good girl" who is a high academic achiever, a girl who has the unwanted and unreasonable responsibility of taking care of her addicted mother, and one who is sensitive to being an outcast in her town.  She's bullied at school because classmates find her weaknesses: she's embarrassed because she can have no social life since she has to look after her mother, and she's economically "poor." She has no clothes that would make her "fit in," and she feels the sense of being the town out-cast.  Basically, her mother is the town tramp, and the town drunk.

This character and her background makes the story compelling because it's so real.  It speaks to such a large population of children these days in public school systems.  Ms White's focus on the bullying is a perfect way to highlight for YAs the simple unfairness and hatefulness of it.  She takes time to break down these prejudices and to show how much character and inner strength Sofia actually has.  These elements give a strong base to the book.  I was moved by Sophia's courage in so many instances in this novel.  This all reflects on the courage of the author in digging down deep for such a character!

The fantasy elements of the story are sure to draw in a YA crowd.  In her readiness to find an escape from Sophia's real life, horrific situation, this is perfect for Heather's character.  From the perspective of young people who are bullied, this is a great fantasy story.  And, from the perspective of YA fiction, it's a great story, too!  I fell in love with the handsome hunk of a guy who would make Sofia feel "normal" and wanted as a friend in the midst of her heartbreaking life!  But finding out that she's not exactly "normal" in other ways was quite enjoyable in the mix.

This is an ebook publication, and that prohibits its sales in my opinion.  I think the book is a very good one and Heather would be wise to think about publishing her next book in the series in actual paperback format.  Possibly printing this one in book format, as well.  I think this is a winning novel and look forward to the next in the series.  It's a book teens would enjoy reading!

3.5 stars

GIVEAWAY!!!!!

An ebook copy of "Redheads Are Soulless"

will be given away!!!

Please enter by:

Following me on GFConnect on the sidebar

and leaving your email address in

the comments

This is a US and International Giveaway

Giveaway Ends  July 31st

Thanks for stopping by today!  I know you're busy...

Deborah/TheBookishDame

Edgar Award Winner Andrew Klavan's "Crazy Dangerous" Does Not Disappoint!!***Plus HUGE Giveaway***

Fast-paced, humorous, with the flippancy that only a teen-aged boy narrator/protagonist can pull off, "Crazy Dangerous" is one of the best YA novels I've read in ages with a male at its heart.  For those reasons alone anyone would enjoy this book, but there's so much more to it!  A sort of John Green meets James Patterson... 

Andrew Klavan, an Edgar Award-Winning author lives up to his

reputation with this one...and I can't wait to read his other books. 

As our famous Stephen Tyler of American Idol and Aerosmith fame said this week:

"Courage is fear that's said it's prayers."

And Mr. Klavan said:

"Do right.  Fear Nothing."

Both quotes close to Scripture and honest truths played out in "Crazy Dangerous."

The inspirational aspects of the book have to do with following what we know is the right thing

 despite all the outward pressures we have surrounding us to do otherwise. 

 This is a lesson any of us can learn and relearn at any age.

That's what makes this book the perfect cross over fiction.  I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, the laughter over the spunky protagonist, Sam, the seriousness of helping those in dire need, and the reminders...

You decide if this is an awesome thriller, or not once you've read ahead.

I rate it 4 stars.

Summary:

"You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and-oh yeah-the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that."

Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it's only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble.

But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one.

Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here's the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies-prophecies of something terrible that's going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it.

With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous.

Book Data:

Published by:  Thomas Nelson
Pages:  326  and Reading Group Guide
Genre:  Thriller, Inspirational, YA Fiction
Author:  Andrew Klavan
Author website:     http://andrewklavan.com
Author's blogsite:  http://pjmedia.com/andrewklavan/

Mr. Klavan's Bio.:

Award winning author, screenwriter and media commentator Andrew Klavan is the author of such internationally bestselling novels as True Crime, filmed by Clint Eastwood, and Don’t Say A Word, filmed starring Michael Douglas. Andrew has been nominated for the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award five times and has won twice. His books have been translated around the world. His latest novel for adults, The Identity Man, has been praised by Nelson Demille as “fast paced, intelligent and thought-provoking; a great read!” Television and radio host Glenn Beck says “Andrew Klavan never disappoints…one of the best illustrations of the power of redemption that I’ve ever read.” His last novel Empire of Lies was about media bias in the age of terror, and topped Amazon.com’s thriller list. Andrew has also published a series of thrillers for young adults, The Homelanders, which follows a patriotic teenager’s battle against jihadists. The books have been optioned to be made into movies by Summit Entertainment, the team behind the mega-successful Twilight film series.
Andrew is a contributing editor to City Journal, the magazine of the Manhattan Institute. His essays and op-eds on politics, religion, movies and literature have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, and elsewhere. His video feature, “Klavan on the Culture,” can be found at PJTV.com. Andrew is a frequent media guest on television and radio stations from coast to coast, where he is known for his quick wit, humor and commentary on politics and entertainment.
As a screenwriter, Andrew wrote the screenplay to 1990’s A Shock to the System, which starred Michael Caine, and to 2008’s One Missed Call, which stars Ed Burns and Shannyn Sossamon. He lives in Southern California.

Find his book to purchase on:  Barnes & Noble
Or on:  Amazon

@AndrewKlavan's Crazy Dangerous $100 Visa Cash Card Giveaway! RSVP for #Facebook Party {5/29}! Celebrate with Andrew Klavan by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!


Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

 

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th!

This tour and giveaway is sponsored by Litfuse

a virtual book touring company.

Thanks for stopping by today !!     Deborah/TheBookishDame